Atlas Awards suggestion

[Wingshaw]

So, first up, apologies if there's an existing thread for this kind of thing, but I searched and couldn't find one.

I'd like to make a suggestion for the Atlas Awards in the future: a new category for Best Newcomer Map. Pretty self-explanatory, but I imagine it being only available to people who joined the Guild within that year or perhaps within the last 2 years. I just figured this would be a nice form of encouragement for our newer members

And since I've got this thread open, here's another suggestion: how about a dedicated Atlas Awards suggestions/discussion thread? I considered putting this into the 2020 discussion thread, but I've got a feeling it wouldn't get seen and would eventually just vanish...

What do people think?

Wingshaw

[Wingshaw]

I'm gonna bump this thread. I think it's important that the Atlas Awards either have a dedicated sticky thread for suggestions/comments, or at least that the idea is discussed

Wingshaw

[Greason Wolfe]

There is an Intro/Discussion sticky thread in the Atlas Awards sub-forum already unless you are thinking of something other than that.

[Wingshaw]

There is an Intro/Discussion sticky thread in the Atlas Awards sub-forum already unless you are thinking of something other than that.

The existing thread seems to be specifically for the 2020 Atlas Awards. I think there should be a permanent thread. And I don't know if it's worth it, but maybe there should even be one permanent thread for discussions/questions, and another for suggestions?

Wingshaw

[Wingshaw]

I'm going to be annoying, and bump this one last time...

It seems to me like a really good idea, and it hasn't received any real discussion. I'd really like to know what people think of the idea of having a sticky thread for the Atlas Awards discussion/suggestions/rules (as opposed to a new thread each year)

Wingshaw

[J.Edward]

I leave a lot of this up to ChickPea, and in the past to Diamond as well, since they were so strongly in front on the Atlas Awards.
That said, I can add my own insight into this suggestion...
Many who join the guild may not be amateur map makers, or novices.
Is Newcomer just to denote a new member?
Does it have any bearing on skill?
And if they are a skilled newcomer, should they not be compared with all other mapmakers?
Just questions that came to mind regarding this.

[Wingshaw]

Ah, I think just to clarify: my original suggestion was a category for newcomers (which I originally interpreted as new members of the Guild). However, I think the most important suggestion I'm making in this thread is actually that we should have a permanent sticky thread where the Atlas Awards can be discussed and suggestions given. The Cartographers' Choice, GuildWorld, GuildCity, and even Bookmarks subforums have a sticky specifically for discussion, but the Atlas Awards don't (not including the temporary ones which are created specifically for each year; eg the 2020 discussion thread, the 2019 discussion thread, etc.)

Wingshaw

[Greason Wolfe]

Hrm... I think what Mr. J was hinting at is that join date might not be the best way to approach a "new comer" definition. MistyBee is a perfect example...

Joined in March of 2018.
Participated in March 2018 Main Challenge.
Was awarded a Gold Compass and an Atlas Award for said Challenge map.

New Comer to the Guild, yes, but clearly not new to map making.

Not saying a "new comer" category is a bad idea, it would just be a bear to define fairly.

[waldronate]

And some folks have been around virtually forever, yet success still eludes them (we know who we are).

[Greason Wolfe]

Yes, yes we do.